Karnataka Ministers Urge Governor To Act Against Union Minister Pralhad Joshi For Alleged Interference In COVID-19 Corruption Inquiry

Karnataka ministers Dinesh Gundu Rao and Krishna Byre Gowda submitted a memorandum to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, requesting action against Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. The ministers allege that Joshi is attempting to discredit the findings of a judicial inquiry led by Justice Michael D'Cunha into corruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed extensive financial irregularities in procurement under the previous BJP government.

Joshi had publicly criticized Justice D'Cunha’s report, accusing him of political bias and questioning the timing of the report’s release during election season. Joshi remarked, “Justice Michael D'Cunha has always been against us. Why release an interim report now? This is a ploy to divert public attention during elections.”

Rao and Gowda contend that Joshi's statements are an attempt to delegitimize the commission’s findings and evade accountability. The Justice D'Cunha Commission, established in August 2023, investigated alleged misappropriations in pandemic relief spending from March 2020 to December 2022, uncovering significant evidence of fraud and recommending prosecutions under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The commission’s report highlighted questionable procurement of PPE kits, masks, and medicines from Chinese vendors at inflated rates, allegedly costing the state Rs 14 crore. Dinesh Gundu Rao pointed out that former BJP leaders, including ex-Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and former Health Minister B Sriramulu, were implicated in these irregularities.

Rao and Gowda argued that Joshi’s remarks violate Section 10A of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, which bars actions that could harm a commission’s reputation. The ministers appealed to the Governor to escalate the matter to the President of India, asserting that holding Joshi accountable would reinforce the integrity of independent investigations. They added that Joshi’s comments disregard the sacrifices made by frontline workers and citizens who relied on transparent governance during the pandemic.